NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY (NEP) 2020
    The NEP 2020 is a policy drafted by the Indian government to raise education standards. It is the third such policy, arriving 34 years after 
    the previous NEP,  and the first under a BJP-led government. The broad policy prioritizes foundational literacy and numeracy for primary 
    school-aged children, citing evidence from surveys—such as ASER—regarding poor learning outcomes.
    With its emphasis on building basic reading and math skills, the NEP validates much of Pratham’s pioneering work. Our Teaching at the 
    Right Level (TaRL) approach has been internationally recognized for improving children’s literacy and numeracy skills in a matter of weeks. 
    The policy also encourages states and local entities to explore strategies for a multifaceted, integrated learning approach. While 
    challenges are anticipated, the NEP’s vision for achieving foundational literacy by 2025 is laudable. 
    Six highlights that pertain to our work.
      #1 -  A new pedagogical and curricular structure for schools
      The most significant change is an increase from 12 years to 15 years of schooling. Currently, India follows a 10 (grades 
      1-10) + 2 (grades 11-12) structure. This will be replaced by a 5 (early childhood education and grades 1-2) + 3 (grades
      3-5) + 3 (grades 6-8) + 4 (grades 9-12) model that will incorporate early childhood education.
      The new structure is modeled after the cognitive developmental stages of a child and aims to achieve basic literacy 
      and numeracy skills by grade 3. Students will only be expected to take formal examinations in grades 3, 5 and 8. 
      Pratham’s low-cost, scalable model has been rigorously tested and proven to help children achieve a strong 
      foundation for future learning and success. 
                #2 -  Expanding education to include early childhood
                The policy calls for 12 years of schooling with three years of early childhood education. This expansion 
                acknowledges the importance of ages 3 to 6 as a crucial stage for cognitive development in children. Pratham 
                has long advocated for early childhood education and appreciates the government’s recognition of this stage 
                and early years (grades 1 and 2) as a continuum. 
                Historically, India’s Anganwadis (childcare centers) have fallen under the Ministry of Women and Child 
                Development, which is separate from the Ministry of Education, and have focused on health and nutrition. 
                Integrating these two departments will be crucial for creating continuity between preschool and grades 1-2.
      #3 -  Native language as the medium of instruction
      The NEP calls for a three-language policy with at least two of the three being native to India. All students in 
      government schools will learn in their mother tongue and dominant regional language. English would only be 
      introduced in grade 5. Pratham’s core philosophy is to meet children at their own level. An important part of this is 
      providing instruction in a language that is accessible to both the child and the caregiver. 
      Pratham has long been a pioneer in developing quality educational materials and presently offers content in regional 
      languages. The challenge for both government and outside entities will be the development of content adapted to a 
      variety of contexts as well as the training of teachers. However, this is also an excellent opportunity to cultivate a 
      more close-knit integration between community members and educators.
                #4 -  Early integration of vocational education 
                In an effort to expose adolescents to trades and instill values such as the dignity of labor and the ethics of care, 
                the policy aims to introduce vocational education into the mainstream curriculum. This measure is significant in 
                bridging the skills gap. However, vocational training must not be limited to the formal sector, to which less than 
                9% of the workforce belongs, but should extend to the informal sector as well.
                Since 2005, Pratham has addressed the needs of thousands of underprivileged youth from rural India through its 
                vocational training program, which offers technical training, certification, job placement, and entrepreneurship 
                opportunities. Our emphasis on practical training over classroom instruction, better prepares students to enter 
                the workforce.
     #5 -  Teacher training and continuous assessment programs
     The policy calls for robust teacher training and student assessment systems, leveraging technology to prepare 
     educators adequately and track student learning outcomes. From our perspective, having worked with India’s District 
     Institute for Education and Training, we strongly advocate field-based training, which allows prospective teachers to 
     understand the complexities they will face in real classrooms and develop the abilities necessary to adapt 
     accordingly.
     Pratham has been measuring children’s learning outcomes for over a decade. This aspect of the NEP is a stepping 
     stone to achieving a sustainable model for improving and refining education goals.
                #6 -  Integration of technology in education
                The document views technology as an essential tool for the achievement of India’s educational goals.  However, 
                as became evident from Pratham’s remote learning efforts during India’s lockdown, most communities lack the 
                necessary infrastructure.
                Pratham’s digital initiative has focused on creating an open source learning environment, enabling access to 
                devices, and developing contextualized and engaging content, Pratham has set up digital libraries in more than 
                3000 communities across 15 Indian states and has built a large repository of  videos, games and applications in 
                11 regional languages.